Big Plastic Ball Ornaments

Big Plastic Ball Ornaments

You know when an great idea pops in your head and you just HAVE to try it out? That’s what happened to us this week. I was mentally preparing for Christmas (secretly so excited about putting our tree up) and then this DIY craft idea got stuck in my head. Would it work? Would it look as good as I hoped? Oh my GOODNESS! The answer was yes!! These BIG plastic ball ornaments for Christmas are unbelievably cool and incredibly easy (and inexpensive) to make. They are so pretty!!! Best of all, they are unbreakable and the supplies are fully reusable year after year. You’re going to love this Christmas craft tutorial…..

Last updated: October 30, 2017This post was originally published on October 16, 2016. I have updated it to answer questions and make the instructions even easier this Christmas.

Materials Needed to Make an Ornament out of a Ball

Fabric. No need for it to be expensive. Use anything you have or go to a craft store, fabric store, or the fabric section in walmart for some. I paid $8 for and it was enough for 3 huge ornaments.

Plastic balls. You know, the ones in the big racks in the toy isle that your kids beg for? Yup! Those are the ones and they are about a dollar or so.

Ribbon. Some to tie the fabric on top, some to hang the ornaments by (optional) and I picked up some curly ribbon that is meant for gift wrapping. It’s really cute.

Various embellishments (optional). Visit the craft store and find some picks and seasonal accents like cranberry, pinecones, etc. You can’t go wrong.

If you want to hang your big ornaments, be sure to have a good little chip clip, clothespin, or safety pin on hand. You’ll also need a thumbtack or whatever you prefer for your walls.

Plastic Ball Ornament Video

How to Make an Ornament with a Ball

Start by cutting your fabric to size. I cut mine into 2.25 ft. squares. The size of your ball might vary a tiny bit. Just make sure the fabric covers the ball on all sides.

Cut a long piece of ribbon. This will be used to tie everything together. Make sure it is at least 2.5 ft long. Excess is good because you can trim it later.

Gather the fabric around the ball and tie it tightly in a knot at the top with ribbon. Cut off the excess fabric on top if necessary.

Add the embellishments. I used greenery, pinecones, and curly ribbon. Hold them over the knot you just tied, then use the extra ribbon strings to tie a big bow over the embellishments, keeping them in place. Trim excess ribbon.

That’s it!! Stack them, stick them in your tree, place them around your house, or even hang them like I did. To hang them, use a chip clip/clothespin/safety pin and another piece of ribbon. The fabric at the top of the ornament will hide the clip or pin (which I love). Attach it to the wall with a thumbtack or something similar. They are so light that it doesn’t take much effort to hang them at all!

As we all know, those fun plastic balls don’t stay inflated forever. However, they will stay inflated ALL season long, that’s for sure! So, when it is time to take down your Christmas decor, simply hand the ball over to some kids and pack away all of the other supplies. Just buy some new plastic balls next year and hang them again. SO SMART!